Cognizance

by Ti’ana Sage (art by Kaitlynn Robinson)

My mind was racing from what I was facing—
—tripping—slipping—as I flew through the night…
If I’d only known—If I’d only been shown—
—a breath of relief as the city came into clear sight…

As I burst passed the droid in my escape from the void—
—my thoughts continued to race.
 How do we not know about what’s below?
My heart out drumming its pace.

I passed through the streets—into the throng—
—crowded despite the rain.
—The lights all around bore a burning glow—
—powered by—powered by—well they didn’t know!

Tears streamed down my cheeks—it was insane—the blood—the twisting pain.
Since we were young, we never had questioned.
We’d frolicked amongst the brain.
How was it made? Well, we didn’t know, how carefully we’d been trained.

Then she disappeared, that sister of mine, I remembered screaming to my parents ‘why?’ When she disappeared, that sister of mine, I vowed—
—I gasped at my door—
“I found you.”

My fear had finally evaporated in the run.
I’d found her.
Working there, toiling away in the heat with little water and meat for her bones.
I’d found her.
Clawing at the dirt in her cell when her shift was done.
I’d found her.

I entered my room, the curtains drawn from the city’s glow.
I’d found her.
Curse these walls which keep me warm! These lights powered by her—
—I’d found her.

My baby sister.
Stolen at the age of four after a questionable incident.
I was 10.
I saw three beings dressed all in white, their eyes glowing blue like every light and droid and machine in the city…

They took her wrists and I’d tried to scream, but my voice had repeatedly failed.
They took her wrists and she screamed and screamed, I remember it so well detailed.
The brutality of how they’d grabbed her, was not like any drone.
And they hadn’t seen me then, and I’d never shared what I’d known.

It’s been ten years but I’d found her.
I’d woken from a dream.
I’d dreamt she was near—but not quite here—
—she’d said ‘nothing is what it may seem’.

All through the morning I’d clung to her image—
—thinking—thinking—unsure and scared.
I knew it wasn’t mind trickery.
I knew I had to be prepared.

Now I am.
I stared out my window over the city streets.
The rain sparkling from the lights.
This electronic world full of deceits—
—these people blinded to the plights.

Each generator said to be fueled by the sky—
—was nothing—was nothing but a terrible lie.
They are trapped down below in a starless night.
They oil every cog and gear in sight.

If it weren’t for them—my sister, per say—
—this city would never have existed today.
Their sweat and their blood sacrificed for this place…
This place of control, of bloodied up grace.

The rain had stopped and I donned my gear.
I am a city guard.
I strapped my taser to my side—
—masked my face—attached my card.

On the streets they do not know, what it is I intend to do.
She will be freed and we will flee—
—to start our lives anew.

Coming, I’m coming— 
—“I’m on patrol.”
I lied to the droid at the gate.
It nodded its head and I carried on, my heart an abnormal rate.

It’s just a door inlaid in mud, a mile or two out of town.
Its latch all rusted—wire surrounded—
It isn’t guarded—it’s not beaten down.

I grasped the latch and thrust it up—
—dirt crumbled far below.
A dark abyss radiating heat—
—I began my descent—my fear began to grow.

Ice cold claws then clutched my hand—
—I looked up to a droid’s blazing eyes.
I shook it away and continued further with haste—
—a whirring noise erupted above—more droids threw away their disguise.

They began descending after me—I scrambled rung by rung.

Repeating—repeating what she’d said to me—
—her words in my head sung…

“Brother help me—I see you dear…
Don’t leave me here alone.
Dai, help me, save us here, 
O how the darkness’s grown…”

She didn’t know I was coming back for her.
She didn’t know I’d try—
—try to take her from this hell.
Try to return her to the sky.